Shaq has mild knee sprain; should resume playing soon
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-02-25 09:02

Miami Heat All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal has a mildly sprained left knee and might play Saturday against the Orlando Magic.

Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat points to the Heat bench after injuring his knee in the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls 22 February, 2005 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. O'Neal is listed as day-to-day after an MRI showed he had a mild knee sprain.[AFP]

An MRI exam confirmed a very mild sprain, the team said Thursday. O'Neal didn't comment to reporters waiting outside the hospital, and is listed as day to day.

He was injured in the first two minutes of Tuesday's game in Chicago when he leaped to catch an alley-oop pass from Dwyane Wade and landed awkwardly atop Bulls forward Othella Harrington. O'Neal stayed on the court for several minutes, clearly in pain.

He didn't return to the game, and missed Wednesday's contest at Indiana. Miami, which leads the Eastern Conference with a 40-16 record, lost both games in overtime.

O'Neal, a 12-time All-Star, is averaging 22.7 points -- on an NBA-best 59.9 percent from the field -- and 10.4 rebounds this season. He has missed only two full games because of injuries this year, compared with 15 in each of his previous three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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